President Danny Faure presided over the swearing-in ceremony of Mr Rony Govinden and Ms Laura Pillay at State House this morning. Their nominations as Puisne Judges of the Supreme Court were recommended by the Constitutional Appointments Authority this March and in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Wavel Ramkalawan.

Justice Govinden and Justice Pillay took the Oath of Allegiance to the Constitution and the Judicial Oath in a ceremony that was attended by the Vice-President, Mr Vincent Meriton, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Patrick Pillay, the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Francis MacGregor, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Mrs Mathilda Twomey, Designated Minister, Mrs Macsuzy Mondon, members of the Constitutional Appointments Authority, Judges and Justices of the Supreme Court, and other distinguished guests including members of their families and senior officials in the Office of the President.

In his remarks to the press after the ceremony, Judge Govinden said that he is looking forward to discharging his new responsibilities as judge of the Supreme Court, vowing to put in the same level of commitment as he did when he was the Attorney General with the required impartiality and integrity the position necessitates. He also said that today marks a historical occasion as two Seychellois judges are taking the place of two foreign judges, and encouraged more young Seychellois to pursue their studies in Law and embrace the opportunities available to them.

Judge Laura Pillay is now the fourth female judge in the Seychelles judiciary, following the appointment of the first female Seychellois Judge, Mrs Mathilda Twomey, followed by Mrs Fiona Robinson, and Mrs Samia Govinden. Speaking to the national press corps after the ceremony, she said that her 12 years of experience as a magistrate will be invaluable and that as a Judge, she will have more time to concentrate on one specific case at a time compared to the multiple cases she was dealing with in the magistracy.